1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to spinning-type fishing reels of the type having a trip mechanism, including a movable trip link, for automatically moving a bail assembly to change the fishing reel from a cast mode into a retrieve niode by rotation of a crank handle upon the completion of a east and, more particularly, to a mechanism for facilitating movement of the trip link.
2. Background Art
Spinning-type fishing reels are well known in the prior art. Typically, a spinning reel has a frame defining a mounting foot for attachment to a rod. A rotor is mounted to the frame for rotation about a fore and aft axis. A line-carrying spool is coaxial with the rotor axis and oscillated in a fore and aft direction by operation of a crank handle, which crank handle operation simultaneously rotates the rotor to thereby evenly wrap line on the line-carrying spool.
To effect a cast with a basic spinning reel, the user picks up the line projecting away from the reel, with a finger on the same hand that holds the rod, and snubs the line against the rod. With the other hand, the user manually pivots the bail assembly from a retrieve position to a cast position. The rod is then cocked and thrust in the direction of the cast. As the rod is thrust, the user moves the line snubbing finger to release the line. Once the cast is completed, the user operates the crank handle to rotate the rotor. A nip mechanism on the moving rotor is automatically actuated by a cam element on the reel frame to force the bail assembly from the cast position back into the retrieve position.
Typically, there is a camming shoulder on the reel frame to intercept a trip link on the trip mechanism. The trip link is projected rearwardly from the rotor as the reel is placed in the cast mode. Once a cast is completed and the crank handle is operated, the projecting trip link rides up the cam shoulder, forcing the bail assembly towards the retrieve position, until an overcenter mechanism drives the bail assembly fully into its retrieve position.
One difficulty with the above structure is that there is a "dead spot" with the trip link aligned over the camming shoulder. This "dead spot" is commonly existent through approximately 15.degree. of rotation for the rotor. If the bail assembly is urged from its retrieve position towards its cast position with the trip link aligned over a high point on the cam shoulder, the bail assembly will jam. Forcing of the bail assembly may result in breakage of reel parts.
While this problem is not too severe with a fully manual bail, it poses a more serious problem with a trigger actuated bail assembly. In the case of a manual bail system, the user is already grasping the bail. A slight shift of the rotor can alleviate the problem. However, with trigger operated systems, the user ideally does not directly manipulate the bail. If the "dead spot" is encountered, the user will normally either press harder on the trigger, which may damage the reel, or have to reach under the rod and shift the rotor.
Exemplary prior an trigger mechanisms, in which the problem of "dead spots" must be contended with, are shown in each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,658,697, to Steinbaugh, 3,095,158, to Louison, 3,796,391, to McMickle, and 3,908,927, to Louison.
A solution to the problem of the "dead spots" is to incorporate a trip link that can be repositioned to slide transversely to the central reel axis away from the camming shoulder as the transition is made between the cast and retrieve modes. While this overcomes the jamming problem, the deflected trip link becomes forcibly pressed by the camming shoulder against a part of the rotor. A relatively large frictional force may be developed between the trip link and the rotor portion to which it abuts to thereby inhibit forward camming movement of the trip link to cause the bail assembly to move towards the retrieve position. A substantial turning force may be required on the crank handle to overcome this friction force and shift the trip link forwardly.